


Unbroken

by romeoandjulietyouwish



Series: Lis Writes 9-1-1 [19]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Panic Attacks, Past Abuse, Past Domestic Violence, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:28:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24702334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/romeoandjulietyouwish/pseuds/romeoandjulietyouwish
Summary: When a glass slips from Maddie's hand, all she can think about is Doug.
Relationships: Maddie Buckley/Howie "Chimney" Han
Series: Lis Writes 9-1-1 [19]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1725208
Comments: 4
Kudos: 75





	Unbroken

**Author's Note:**

> TW: panic attack, implied past domestic violence, mild gore.

Maddie smiles to herself as she puts the dishes in the sink and turns on the water. Tonight has been great, Chimney invited her over for a late dinner after his shift. The two of them have been working opposite shifts for what seems like forever so it’s nice to finally have a night to themselves where.

She starts the water in the sink and begins to wash the dishes while Chimney runs to the closet to get a towel to dry with. As Maddie is moving to put the cup on the counter, it slips out of grasp. The glass shatters on the ground. Maddie is frozen for a moment, her heart beating rapidly in her chest. Before Chimeny can see what happened, Maddie kneels down and starts picking up the pieces. Tears flood down her cheeks as she tries to keep her breathing under control. 

“Maddie? Are you okay? I heard a…” Howie breaks off as he sees Maddie kneeling on the ground, quickly picking up the pieces, not seeming to notice that she’s cutting her palms. “Maddie!”

“I-I’m sorry,” she stutters. “I’ll clean it up, I’ll do better I-”

Chimney’s heart breaks as he kneels down beside her, “It’s okay,” he soothes. He gently takes her hands in his, setting the broken glass back on the ground. 

“But, I…” Maddie can’t breathe. She can’t seem to focus on the man in front of her. All she sees is a hand reaching out to touch her face. It’s instinctive: Maddie quickly scrambles away from him, pressing her back against the wall and covering her head protectively with her arms. “Please, please,” she begs. “I’ll do better. I’ll clean it up. I-I-I-” Maddie cuts herself off with a desperate gasp for air. 

“Maddie, you need to breathe. I’m not going to hurt you,” the voice is calm and soft. Not Doug. “Can I touch you?” Maddie quickly shakes her head. “Okay, that’s fine. I’m going to start counting and I need you to breathe with me, okay?” Maddie nods and he starts counting slowly, instructing her to breathe slowly. 

After a few minutes, her breathing finally evens out. Her heart still pounds rapidly in her chest, but at least she can breathe. Maddie opens her eyes and finds Chimney kneeling in front of her, eyebrows furrowed in concern. “Maddie?” He asks softly. “Are you okay?” 

“I…” She looks down at her shaking hands, bloody and covered with glass and then to the shattered glass on the floor. Her lip trembles as she cries. “Chim...I’m sorry.” 

Chimney is quick to shake his head, “You have nothing to be sorry for. Why don’t we go to the living room and I can clean up your hands.” 

“But the glass…”

“I’ll clean it up later,” Chim says. “I’m only worried about you right now. Can I help you up?” Maddie nods and Chimney grabs her elbow to help her stand. She keeps her palms up to stop the blood from dripping on to the ground, watching almost in a trace as the blood pools in her hands. She takes a steadying breath. 

Once they’re settled in the living room with the first aid kit, Chimney sitting on the coffee table directly across from her, Chimney asks again, “Can I touch your hands?” 

“Yeah,” Maddie slowly uncurls her fingers and holds her hands out to him. She watches Chimney apprehensively as he takes tweezers and carefully picks the glass from her hands, apologizing softly when she winces in pain. 

The irony is not lost on Maddie that Doug was an awful person, someone who hurt her and hurt people around him. But Howie, he’s a healer and the exact opposite of Doug in so many ways. 

They both stay silent as he finishes with the glass and cleans the cuts. Maddie is thankful he's focused on her hands, it allows her a moment to collect herself without him watching.

“I know you would never hurt me,” Maddie tells him while he bandages her hands. 

Chimney’s movements still for a moment, but he keeps his eyes down at her hands and continues with the bandages. “You were scared of me," he shakes his head.

“Of Doug,” Maddie corrects. “I’m not afraid of you, Howie. You would never hurt me. I’m sorry you had to see that.” With the hand that’s already bandaged, she reaches up and wipes her cheeks. 

“No,” Chimney makes eye contact with her for the first time since starting work on her hands. “You don’t have to apologize for anything, you didn’t do anything wrong. I’m glad I was here to help you with the panic attack and to clean up your hands. I love you, Maddie.”

She smiles sadly up at him, “I love you too.” There’s silence for a moment before she says, “I want you to know that it wasn’t you that triggered that, it was the cup. The breaking glass just brought me back and could only see Doug and I’m sor-”

“Madeline, I know you’re not about to apologize again,” Chimney teases gently. 

Maddie smiles. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that it's not your fault, thank you for being here.” 

“Of course,” Chimney says. He taps Maddie’s hand letting her know that the other hand is done being bandaged. “Can I give you a hug?” She smiles again and leans into his arms, resting her head on his shoulder. 

“You give good hugs,” she muses. 

She can feel Chimney’s laugh rumble in his chest, “It’s all the working out you don’t get to be Mr. April for nothing.” Maddie laughs and leans out of the hug, but staying close to Chimney. He rubs his thumb into her side, “Are you okay?” 

“I will be,” she smiles hopefully at him and puts a hand on his cheek before leaning in to kiss him. 

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are always appreciated :D
> 
> Tumblr- @evanbuckley-heartofgold


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